Wick inserting instrument



Sept. 8,1959 sus 2,902,849

WICK INSERTING INSTRUMENT Filed June 15, 1955 INVENTOR PETER GlPSLIS BYr I e4 ATTORN s vvvvvvvvv 2,902,849 I WICK INSERTING INSTRUMENT PeterGipslis, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, as-

signor of one-half to Erwin Heuchert, Vancouver, British Columbia,Canada This invention relates to anv instrument for inserting a wickinto a cigarette lighter through the small wick tube thereof. ii

At the present time, lighters of the type commonly called cigarettelighters, are used universally by a very large number of people. Theselighters have wicks which gradually burn away and have to be replacedfrom time to time. As these wicks are made of an absorbent material,they tend to fray or unravel at the ends so that it is difficult toinsert them into the lighter tubes. People used pins and the like forinserting the wicks, and some companies supply small wire rods for thispurpose. However, the ends of the pins or rods tend to go through thewick material so that it is always a bothersome operation. Many timeswhen a wick is partially inserted, it comes back out of the tube whenthe pin or rod is Withdrawn therefrom.

The main object of the present invention is the provision of aninstrument by means of which a wick may be quickly and easily insertedin a lighter tube. This instrument is designed so that the wick iscompletely and properly inserted by very few movements of the instrumentthrough the tube. Furthermore, it may be manipulated so that there is nodanger of drawing the wick back out of the tube when the instrument iswithdrawn.

A wick inserting instrument according to this invention comprises a rodhaving a thickness considerably less than that of a normal lighter wick.The rod has a plurality of serrations on one side near an end thereof,the side of the rod opposite the serrations preferably being smooth. Therod may be provided with a handle loop at the end thereof remote fromthe serrations. In the preferred form of the invention, the end of therod near which the serrations are located is formed with a bevel whichextends outwardly from the side of the rod opposite the serrations tothe serrated side at the outer end of the latter.

Examples of this invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings,in which,

Figure 1 illustrates a cigarette lighter with the wick thereofuncovered,

Figure 2 is an enlarged elevation of the wick inserting instrument inposition to start moving a wick into a wick tube,

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 with the wick part Way in thetube,

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 2 showing the wick completelythrough the tube and the instrument being withdrawn therefrom, and

Figure 5 is an elevation of an alternative form of instrument.

Referring to Figure 1 of the drawings, is a cigarette lighter ofconventional design having a wick tube 11 which communicates with theinterior of the lighter at one end and opens outwardly from the lighterat its opposite end. A wick 12 is normally threaded through this tubeand projects from the outer end thereof. As is well-known, the wickabsorbs lighter fluid from within the lighter,

2,902,849 Patented Sept. 8, 1 959 and its' outer end is ignited by aspark when the lighter is operated.

Figures 2 to 4 illustrate a wick inserting instrument 15' in operation.This instrument consists of a thin rod 18 having a working end 19. Ifdesired, the opposite end of the rod may be bent into substantially acircle to form a handle loop 20.

A plurality of serrations 24 are formed in the side 25 of the rod nearthe end 19 thereof. These serrations preferably start at said end andextend inwardly therefrom. It will be noted that the tips or outer endsof the serrations are within the rod, as clearly shown in Figures 2 to4. The side 27 of the rod opposite the serrations is preferably smooth,as shown.

In the preferred form of the invention, a bevel 30 is formed on the end19 of the rod and extends from the smooth side 27 outwardly to theopposite side 25 at the outer end of the latter.

Figures 2 to 4 diagrammatically illustrate the lighter tube 11 and Wick1'2.

When it is desired to insert the wick into the tube, the end of the wickis held at the tube entrance 33. Then the end 19 of instrument 15 isalso inserted in the tube entrance beside the wick, see Figure 2. Theserrations 24 face the wick, and the bevel 30 is placed against the sideof the tube entrance. When the instrument is moved downwardly into thetube, the bevel causes it to shift laterally towards the wick so thatthe serrations extend into and engage the latter. Further downwardmovement of the instrument causes the wick to move with it, as clearlyshown in Figure 3. There is no difficulty trying to get the rod to gripthe wick in order to prevent the former from moving therethrough. Theserrations positively grip the wick and it must move with theinstrument. It will be noted that the thickness of rod 18 isconsiderably less than that of wick 12 so that the instrument takes upvery little room in tube 11. By the time the ends of the wick and theinstrument clear the tube, the serrations are so firmly embedded intothe wick that the latter continues to move with the instrument.

The instrument may be withdrawn by rotating the rod around itslongitudinal axis to bring the smooth side 27 against the wick, as shownin Figure 4. This withdraws the serrations from the wick, and theinstrument may be withdrawn from the tube without pulling the wick withit. This operation may be repeated until most of the wick has been movedinto the lighter.

While the instrument has been described as moving down the side of thewick tube outside the wick, it may be inserted into the wick in the samemanner as a pin. The bevel forms a point on the working end of the rodso that it readily penetrates the material of the wick. As the rod ismoved downwardly in the wick, the bevel causes the pin to shiftlaterally, thereby ensuring the serrations catching in the material sothat the latter moves with the rod. The rod may be withdrawn while thewick is held against movement in the tube by hand.

If desired, the serrations 24 may be barbed towards end 19 of the rod.This helps the serrations to free the wick during withdrawal of the rodwhen it is within the wick.

Figure 5 illustrates an alternative form of the invention. This wickinserting instrument includes a rod 38 having a plurality of serrations39 near its working end 40. These serrations are barbed so that theypoint towards this end. If desired, the opposite end of the rod may bebent into a handle loop 42. The end 40 is preferably formed with a bevel44 extending transversely of the rod.

The instrument of Figure 5 is not considered as good as that of Figures2 to 4. However, it is used in practically the same way. The bevel 44shifts rod 38 lateralrotate th'e rod when it, is desired towithdr'awtheinstru- The fact that the serrations 39 are barbed inthe-- ment.direction of end 40, permits the rod to be withdrawn from the wicktubewithlittlechance'cifmoving the wickjin the same direction. 7

This form of instrument may be inserted into the wick; in which case,the barbed serrations shift the wickwhenthe rod is moved inone'direction, and free'it-when the rod is movedin theoppositedirectionv What I claim as my invention is: An instrument forinserting-a wick into a cigarette lighter through the smallwick tubethereof, comprising-a rod having aconstant thickness considerably lessthan that of a normal lighter wick, a bevel at one'end'ofi the rodextending from one side-thereof outwardly to the opposite-side at theouter end-of the latter side to form" This causes serrations 39 to gripor-engage' a tip at said outer end, and a plurality of serrationsformedin'thesideoftherod having the tip at its outer end, saidserrations being near and in line with the tip and being barbed towardssaid tipped end and being within the cross sectional area of the rod,and the side of the rod opposite the serrations and inwardly of thebevel being smooth, wherebythe rod may be turned about the axis thereofto bring the serrations into engagement with a wick when the rod is usedto move the latter through the wick tube of' a lighter and turned againto bring its smooth, side-. againstthe' wick thereby freeing theserrations from the latter when .the. rodis withdrawn from the tube.

References cited. in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS601,380 Phillips Mar. 29, 1898 I FOREIGN f PATENTS 257,086 Germany Sept.30, 1948

